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Golden's missing heroes

Contributed by: Richard Gardner on 2/2/2007

In times of war, 8 Goldenites have been lost while serving their country whose remains have never been recovered. They are listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the cemeteries nearest to where they were lost. Here are the stories of several of Golden's World War II men who made this sacrifice beyond:

Ralph E. Keeler, an Army Lieutenant, was recalled to duty with the Intelligence Corps when the Japanese invaded the Phillippines. Serving in Gen. MacArthur's forces, Keeler took a sniper's bullet meant for Brig. Gen. James Weaver, an American tank commander. He was promoted to Captain, and was later captured at the fall of Bataan in 1942. While being shipped for imprisonment in Japan, Keeler's prison ship was bombed and sunk on December 15, 1944. Keeler was a Colorado School of Mines graduate of the Class of 1931, from where he went into mining publications which would ultimately take him to the Phillippines. After graduating Keeler worked in the Mines Publications office and on Denver newspapers before going to Manila in 1934 to become mining editor of the Manila Bulletin. He married Jane Sess, wife of another Mines graduate, and she and his two children, Hayes and Marthie Jane, came to live with him in the Phillippines. Keeler became managing editor of the Baguto Bulletin, editor and publisher of the Phillippine Mining Yearbook, and editor of the Marsman Magazine, another mining publication. When war broke out, his family returned to Denver, and he was recalled in November 1940, his Mines ROTC training coming into good use. The Captain was on the same prison ship as another Goldenite, Capt. Melvin Evans. Keeler was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, and is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery at Fort Bonifacio.

Melvin Wallace Evans was a Captain in the Army Corps of Engineers when he was captured by the Japanese at the fall of Corregidor in May 1942. Surviving the death march, Evans was in various prison camps including Davao Camp No. 2 and Cabanatuan Camp No. 1 before being put on a ship for transfer to Japan His prison ship was bombed and sunk on December 15, 1944 in the China Sea. Evans died trying to rescue other prisoners on board, possibly including fellow Goldenite Ralph Keeler. Evans was a Golden native, born to Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Evans on July 12, 1914. He went to school in Englewood and Pueblo before graduating from Centennial High School in Pueblo. Afterward Evans returned to Golden, graduating from the Colorado School of Mines in 1937. While at Mines Evans was on the Oredigger staff and as a senior was editor of the school paper. He was otherwise a member of CSM's Blue Key, Press Club, A.I.M.E. and A.S.M.E., and a member of the tennis team. Evans also was an officer in the Mines R.O.T.C., and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant upon graduation. On November 19, 1937, Evans was married to Bonnie Howlett of Golden, and they and daughter Marca made their home with his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Goetze. Evans gained employment with the Phillips Oil Company, and volunteered for service in the Army in the fall of 1940. He was trained at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and was sent to the Phillippines in January 1941, accompanied by his family. They returned to Colorado in June of 1941. Evans' sister Eleanor was part of the Army Nurses Corps at Fitzsimons Hospital during the war. Evans was awarded the Purple Heart and is listed upon the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery.

Marcus Lyndon Ostlee was a Seaman First Class aboard the destroyer U.S.S. Hull when it was refueling with Task Force 38 300 miles east of Luzon in the Phillippine Sea. On December 17, 1944 the fleet was surprised by Typhoon Cobra, an estimated Category 4 storm. By midday December 18th the Hull was unable to steer and battered by heavy rolls, and Ostlee and his crewmates battled valiantly to save the ship from sinking. However, when the mountainous waves pushed the ship on its side to an angle of 80 degrees water flooded into its upper structures and the Hull was lost, the crew abandoning ship as it capsized. Ostlee was among 790 lost of the men in the heavily damaged fleet, among three destroyers that sank in the storm. Ostlee was nearly 23 years old, the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ostlee and born at Black Hawk. Later living at Golden, he worked during the Great Depression helping build the tunnels of Clear Creek Canyon. In October 1942 Ostlee entered the Navy, and received his training at San Pedro, where fellow Goldenite Fred Lovely was lost in World War I. From there Ostlee fought in the South Pacific. Ostlee's two half-brothers also served in World War II, Clarence Waterman in the Navy and Kenneth Waterman in the Army. Ostlee is listed upon the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery at Fort Bonifacio.

John A. Farrington was the operations officer of the 531st Bomber Squadron of the 380th Bomber Group of the Army in Northern Australia. On October 26, 1943, the airman was reported missing in action somewhere in the Pacific war theatre, and nothing has been known of him since. Farrington was the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Farrington, and he lived in Golden a number of years and attended Golden's schools. He married wife Betty, and was a student at the University of Colorado when he enlisted in the Army air forces. Farrington was awarded the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, and Purple Heart, and is listed upon the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery.

Robert Charles Eggleston was reported missing in action while fighting in the South Pacific on November 14, 1943. Eggleston was a Torpedoman's Mate Third Class in the Navy, and nothing more has been known about him since. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Eggleston who lived near Golden. Eggleston was awarded the Purple Heart and is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery at Fort Bonifacio.

Clarence Johanas Norby, commonly called John, was an Aviation Machinists Mate Third Class aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Yorktown when it was engaged by the Japanese at the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. In one of the most pivotal battles in naval history, the Yorktown was hit repeatedly by dive bombers and torpedoes, which killed Norby and other crewmen and crippled the ship. Three days later during a salvage attempt the Yorktown was lost when hit again by a Japanese submarine, and Norby went down with the ship. He was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Norby, and was born in Derby, Colorado. While still a baby his family moved to Fairmount near Golden, and he was educated at the Fairmount school and graduated from Golden High School in 1939. In October 1940 Norby enlisted in the Navy, and was stationed with the fleet at Pearl Harbor since March 1941, earning a bombardier rating. Norby was awarded the Purple Heart, and is listed upon the Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial Cemetery.


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Showing 1 of 1 comments
Submitted By: Denver Admin
posted on 2/6/2007 @ 6:02:32 PM
Rated Story
Great stories about some truly heroic individuals. Thanks Richard.
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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Richard Gardner

Golden , CO

Richard Gardner has posted 150 stories and 1 comment since joining on 9/15/2005. Richard Gardner 's average story rating is 4.96.
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